SWORD OF THE ROYAL BODYGUARDS, KING'S MODEL 1814, RESTORATION PERIOD.
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KING'S LIFEGUARD SWORD, 1814 MODEL, RESTORATION PERIOD.
Guard made of gilded brass, with four branches forming a shell decorated with the Arms of France under a royal crown and set against a background of flags and oak and laurel branches. Cap with a long tail. Handle made of wood covered with shagreen and a double silver filigree braid. Pommel stamped with a "B" under a fleur-de-lys within a circle of rings, hallmark of J.G. Bick used during the First Restoration from April 1814 to March 1815.
Blade with hollow sides engraved with a trophy of arms, two fleurs-de-lis, and the inscription "GARDES DU CORPS DU ROI." on one side, and a trophy of the Arms of France and a radiant sun with a face on the other side. Back of the blade engraved with "Manufacture Royale du Klingenthal October 1814." Stamped at the heel with a "B" under a star for inspector E.L. Borson, August 1814 to September 1816, and a "B" framed by laurel branches for first-class controller J.G. Bick, 1812 to May 1815. Scarlet cloth ribbon.
Length 93.7 cm.
First model 1814 scabbard in black varnished leather with three gilded bronze fittings decorated with lines and stamped like the pommel.
In perfect condition, nearly new, with light wear on the leather scabbard.
France.
Restoration Period.
PROVENANCE:
Formerly in the AUBRY collection, then Jean-Pierre BAUVE. An old cardboard label attached to the sword bears the handwritten mention, "This sword belonged to Monsieur de Châteauneuf, godson of Marie-Antoinette and the Count of Artois under Charles X, having served as a page and then at Brienne, later becoming a recruitment captain of the Legion des Basses Alpes. It also belonged to the Rabiers de Villars de la Beaume family, and lastly to Mr. d'Aigremont. It is currently owned by Mr. Bernard Franck. January 1896."
B. FRANCK (1848-1924), industrialist, Paris. Prints and drawings.
Born and died in Paris, Bernard Franck (his descendants later combined the first name and surname and adopted the patronymic name Bernard-Franck) completed his secondary studies in the city. He underwent a two-year internship in America. During the 1870 war, he served as a corporal in the "Mobile" and voluntarily enlisted for the duration of hostilities in the 1st Zouave Regiment. After being captured, he escaped, rejoined the Loire army, and was awarded the Legion of Honor for his outstanding conduct. He managed the family firm founded in 1804 by his grandfather along with his father, a manufacturer of military equipment that still exists today. The grandson and grand-nephews of Napoleonic soldiers and son of a collector, he naturally became a collector himself, initially focusing on objects related to military life, mainly from the Revolution and the Empire: weapons, insignias, miniature portraits, paintings, drawings, prints, books, particularly costume collections. His interest later expanded to include display items from the same eras and prior, with an emphasis on the refined 18th century. The collector frequently lent items for various exhibitions, such as the 1900 Universal Exposition retrospective (an entire special display case acquired by Pierpont Morgan, now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York), 1904 Exhibition of French 18th-century Art in Brussels (80 pieces), the 1904 Centenary Exhibition of Eugene Isabey and Raffet in Paris (20 miniatures), the 1906 18th-century Exhibition at the National Library in Paris (15 miniatures), etc. A portion of the collections Bernard Franck had accumulated over fifty years of effort were dispersed in about fifteen public auctions, most of them anonymous. Listed below are summaries of the five most significant auctions conducted under his name. Another part of the collection, retained within the family, suffered significant theft during the German occupation in the Second World War. Fortunately, several crates were eventually recovered.
The color and gold label can be found on the back of the frames.
AUCTIONS
I. February 22-23, 1935, Paris (experts P. Foury, G. Bernard, L. Bourdier). Preface by H. Nocq. 272 lots, including 39 paintings and drawings, 62 miniatures (by David, Gasparolio, Gigola, Heinsius, J. B. Isabey, Lagrenée, Léandri, Lecour, Nasti, Quaglia, etc.), and others featuring weapons, decorations, military bronzes, copperware, historical objects, etc.
II. March 8-9, 1935, Paris (same experts). Library. 430 lots. Books, albums, and collections of prints and watercolors depicting French and foreign military costumes and historical scenes by: V. Adam, Andrieux, Aubry, Bürger, H. Bellangé, Charlet, Chéreau, A. Dumaresq, Duplessi-Bertaux, Grasset Saint-Sauveur, Gravelot, Imagerie, H. Lalaisse, Martinet, A. Menzel, de Montigny, Raffet, Sergent, H. Vernet, etc., albums or collections of various lithographs: V. Adam, Boilly, La Caricature, Charlet, G. Doré, Gavarni, H. Monnier, etc. Books on fine arts, theater, fashion, Paris and its surroundings (view albums including Bacler d'Albe, Janinet), etc.
III. March 21-22, 1935, Paris (same experts). 346 lots. Items of a similar nature to the first auction. Among the 60 lots of paintings, watercolors, and engravings, notable items include a series of 8 military costumes engraved after Hoffmann, colored prints embellished with gold and silver, and his 2 original gouaches. Additionally, 109 lots of miniatures.
IV. April 3-4, 1935, Paris (same experts). Similar items to the previous auction. 449 lots, including 36 engravings, 47 paintings, drawings, posters, etc., and 104 miniatures.
V. February 17, 1955, Paris (experts M. Rousseau, P. Foury, R. J. Charles). No catalog available. Watercolors, drawings, items related to balloons, popular images, historical scenes, portraits (featuring Napoleon, French and foreign generals and marshals), military costumes, and scenes, early 19th-century prints, views (France and abroad) "from the former Bernard Franck collection." Key sales: Kobell, "General Table" of French infantry and cavalry 20,000 francs, Austrian infantry and cavalry 26,000 francs; Rugendas, 13 battles 28,000 francs; Debucourt after C. Vernet, Polish Lancers in Quarters and Grand-Guard of Polish Lancers 20,000 francs.
Further upcoming sales of the same provenance will also be conducted without a catalog.
Guard made of gilded brass, with four branches forming a shell decorated with the Arms of France under a royal crown and set against a background of flags and oak and laurel branches. Cap with a long tail. Handle made of wood covered with shagreen and a double silver filigree braid. Pommel stamped with a "B" under a fleur-de-lys within a circle of rings, hallmark of J.G. Bick used during the First Restoration from April 1814 to March 1815.
Blade with hollow sides engraved with a trophy of arms, two fleurs-de-lis, and the inscription "GARDES DU CORPS DU ROI." on one side, and a trophy of the Arms of France and a radiant sun with a face on the other side. Back of the blade engraved with "Manufacture Royale du Klingenthal October 1814." Stamped at the heel with a "B" under a star for inspector E.L. Borson, August 1814 to September 1816, and a "B" framed by laurel branches for first-class controller J.G. Bick, 1812 to May 1815. Scarlet cloth ribbon.
Length 93.7 cm.
First model 1814 scabbard in black varnished leather with three gilded bronze fittings decorated with lines and stamped like the pommel.
In perfect condition, nearly new, with light wear on the leather scabbard.
France.
Restoration Period.
PROVENANCE:
Formerly in the AUBRY collection, then Jean-Pierre BAUVE. An old cardboard label attached to the sword bears the handwritten mention, "This sword belonged to Monsieur de Châteauneuf, godson of Marie-Antoinette and the Count of Artois under Charles X, having served as a page and then at Brienne, later becoming a recruitment captain of the Legion des Basses Alpes. It also belonged to the Rabiers de Villars de la Beaume family, and lastly to Mr. d'Aigremont. It is currently owned by Mr. Bernard Franck. January 1896."
B. FRANCK (1848-1924), industrialist, Paris. Prints and drawings.
Born and died in Paris, Bernard Franck (his descendants later combined the first name and surname and adopted the patronymic name Bernard-Franck) completed his secondary studies in the city. He underwent a two-year internship in America. During the 1870 war, he served as a corporal in the "Mobile" and voluntarily enlisted for the duration of hostilities in the 1st Zouave Regiment. After being captured, he escaped, rejoined the Loire army, and was awarded the Legion of Honor for his outstanding conduct. He managed the family firm founded in 1804 by his grandfather along with his father, a manufacturer of military equipment that still exists today. The grandson and grand-nephews of Napoleonic soldiers and son of a collector, he naturally became a collector himself, initially focusing on objects related to military life, mainly from the Revolution and the Empire: weapons, insignias, miniature portraits, paintings, drawings, prints, books, particularly costume collections. His interest later expanded to include display items from the same eras and prior, with an emphasis on the refined 18th century. The collector frequently lent items for various exhibitions, such as the 1900 Universal Exposition retrospective (an entire special display case acquired by Pierpont Morgan, now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York), 1904 Exhibition of French 18th-century Art in Brussels (80 pieces), the 1904 Centenary Exhibition of Eugene Isabey and Raffet in Paris (20 miniatures), the 1906 18th-century Exhibition at the National Library in Paris (15 miniatures), etc. A portion of the collections Bernard Franck had accumulated over fifty years of effort were dispersed in about fifteen public auctions, most of them anonymous. Listed below are summaries of the five most significant auctions conducted under his name. Another part of the collection, retained within the family, suffered significant theft during the German occupation in the Second World War. Fortunately, several crates were eventually recovered.
The color and gold label can be found on the back of the frames.
AUCTIONS
I. February 22-23, 1935, Paris (experts P. Foury, G. Bernard, L. Bourdier). Preface by H. Nocq. 272 lots, including 39 paintings and drawings, 62 miniatures (by David, Gasparolio, Gigola, Heinsius, J. B. Isabey, Lagrenée, Léandri, Lecour, Nasti, Quaglia, etc.), and others featuring weapons, decorations, military bronzes, copperware, historical objects, etc.
II. March 8-9, 1935, Paris (same experts). Library. 430 lots. Books, albums, and collections of prints and watercolors depicting French and foreign military costumes and historical scenes by: V. Adam, Andrieux, Aubry, Bürger, H. Bellangé, Charlet, Chéreau, A. Dumaresq, Duplessi-Bertaux, Grasset Saint-Sauveur, Gravelot, Imagerie, H. Lalaisse, Martinet, A. Menzel, de Montigny, Raffet, Sergent, H. Vernet, etc., albums or collections of various lithographs: V. Adam, Boilly, La Caricature, Charlet, G. Doré, Gavarni, H. Monnier, etc. Books on fine arts, theater, fashion, Paris and its surroundings (view albums including Bacler d'Albe, Janinet), etc.
III. March 21-22, 1935, Paris (same experts). 346 lots. Items of a similar nature to the first auction. Among the 60 lots of paintings, watercolors, and engravings, notable items include a series of 8 military costumes engraved after Hoffmann, colored prints embellished with gold and silver, and his 2 original gouaches. Additionally, 109 lots of miniatures.
IV. April 3-4, 1935, Paris (same experts). Similar items to the previous auction. 449 lots, including 36 engravings, 47 paintings, drawings, posters, etc., and 104 miniatures.
V. February 17, 1955, Paris (experts M. Rousseau, P. Foury, R. J. Charles). No catalog available. Watercolors, drawings, items related to balloons, popular images, historical scenes, portraits (featuring Napoleon, French and foreign generals and marshals), military costumes, and scenes, early 19th-century prints, views (France and abroad) "from the former Bernard Franck collection." Key sales: Kobell, "General Table" of French infantry and cavalry 20,000 francs, Austrian infantry and cavalry 26,000 francs; Rugendas, 13 battles 28,000 francs; Debucourt after C. Vernet, Polish Lancers in Quarters and Grand-Guard of Polish Lancers 20,000 francs.
Further upcoming sales of the same provenance will also be conducted without a catalog.
Reference :
18171
Next update Friday, May 15 at 13:30 PM
FOR ALL PURCHASES, PAYMENT IN MULTIPLE CHECKS POSSIBLE
bertrand.malvaux@wanadoo.fr 06 07 75 74 63
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AUTHENTICITY
The selection of items offered on this site allows me to guarantee the authenticity of each piece described here, all items offered are guaranteed to be period and authentic, unless otherwise noted or restricted in the description.
An authenticity certificate of the item including the description published on the site, the period, the sale price, accompanied by one or more color photographs is automatically provided for any item priced over 130 euros. Below this price, each certificate is charged 5 euros.
Only items sold by me are subject to an authenticity certificate, I do not provide any expert reports for items sold by third parties (colleagues or collectors).
FOR ALL PURCHASES, PAYMENT IN MULTIPLE CHECKS POSSIBLE
bertrand.malvaux@wanadoo.fr 06 07 75 74 63
An authenticity certificate of the item including the description published on the site, the period, the sale price, accompanied by one or more color photographs is automatically provided for any item priced over 130 euros. Below this price, each certificate is charged 5 euros.
Only items sold by me are subject to an authenticity certificate, I do not provide any expert reports for items sold by third parties (colleagues or collectors).